Smoothies at Lake Malawi (ePub)

Lou Kelly lives in a world of luxury hotels, transferred from one exotic location to another by limousines and business class seats. However, Lou never has any time to walk outside the hotels' front doors. On finishing her latest project in Johannesburg, she finds herself tempted to experience the African wilderness and way of life. In response to her boss' paltry offer of one week's vacation, Lou advises she is taking extended leave, effective immediately. In Nairobi, Lou joins an overland truck safari led by Alf, an ex-British soldier, addicted to tattoos, piercings and alcohol, and 'George Clooney II', a Malawian with a smile to rival that of his namesake. She and her foolhardy travelling companions of different genders and sexual persuasions, from different 'watering holes' around the globe, travel from Kenya, through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia to Zimbabwe. The journey is an adventure of extremes with rough roads, camping out and primitive conditions causing angst and antics amongst the group. Lou's blood pumps hard through her veins when she encounters the African wildlife, hunting, eating and procreating in the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Up above, the eagles soar the thermals, hypnotizing her. To Lou, the African landscape seems endless, the sun baked plains in the day and the icy, starry heavens at night. She feels stripped of her identity but free from commitments. In fact, the sense of freedom is intoxicating.